1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic original conveying device for conveying a supported original to a reading position and discharging the original from the reading position after the surface to be read of the original is read.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Description will hereinafter be made by taking as an example an automatic original conveying device used in a copying apparatus or the like.
An example of the automatic original conveying device according to the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,556,512. A model view of such device is shown in FIG. 1A of the accompanying drawings. In this device, originals are supported on a supporting tray with the surfaces to be read of the originals facing downward. (This state is shown at .circle.1 .) These supported originals are separated and conveyed one by one to a platen and the surfaces to be read of the originals are exposed to light, whereafter the originals are fed back and returned onto the supporting tray. (This state is shown at .circle.2 .)
In this device, however, the originals supported on the supporting tray in the order of pages are fed onto the platen in the order with the lowermost page first and thus, copies are supported in the reverse order of pages. (This state is shown at .circle.3 .) Also, the fact that originals are supported on the supporting tray with the surfaces thereof to be read facing downward leads to the inconvenience that it is difficult for the operator to confirm the surfaces to be read. In the Figure, A designates an automatic original conveying device, B denotes a copying apparatus, C designates a cassette and D denotes a copy receiving tray. The uncircled numbers indicate the pages.
Another automatic original conveying device according to the prior art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No, 4,169,674. A model view of this device is shown in FIG. 1B of the accompanying drawings. In this device, originals are supported on a supporting tray with the surfaces thereof to be read facing upward. (This state is shown at .circle.1 .) The supported originals are separated one by one and conveyed to a platen and the surfaces to be read are exposed to light, whereafter the originals are returned onto the supporting tray from the side opposite to that side on which the originals have entered the platen. (This state is shown at .circle.2 .) That is, this device is designed such that an original fed from the supporting tray forms substantially such a closed loop that it passes the platen and is returned onto the supporting tray.
In this device, however, a closed loop in which an original is circulated is formed and therefore, the driving system for conveying originals must be decentralized dispersed over the entire device.
In contrast, the present invention provides an automatic original conveying device in which originals can be supported on the supporting tray with the surfaces to be read facing upward and copies can be obtained in the order of pages and the driving system can be arranged compactly. A model view of the device to which the present invention is applied is shown in FIG. 1C of the accompanying drawings.